


In the Brutal Winter

by sheroars



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Case Work, F/M, Fluff, Private Detectives Club, family life, marriage fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 07:48:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 17,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3802453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheroars/pseuds/sheroars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Its been ages since I've written, senior year of high school suuuuucks.  How Slowly We Burn is gonna be on hiatus.  My storyline had a big angst twist coming up and I'm avoiding it like the plague.  So yah.  This is finally happening.  Cheers!</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. First Snow

**Author's Note:**

> Its been ages since I've written, senior year of high school suuuuucks. How Slowly We Burn is gonna be on hiatus. My storyline had a big angst twist coming up and I'm avoiding it like the plague. So yah. This is finally happening. Cheers!

It was shaping up into one of those absolutely miserable days for Alec Hardy.  

Late start.  

No partner for the day.  

Impossible client.  

Miserable.    

And now he stood in line at the supermarket.  The end of a very long line at the only open check out to be precise.  The rain and sleet that had been drenching London since early this morning was rapidly turning into snow that was sticking to the windows and the pavement outside.  Alec ground his teeth and checked his watch for the thirteenth thousand time.  Eight thirty.  How were they even open still?  

He fought the urge to let the fermented irritation loose on the gentle tug at his sleeve.  

"I can help you at the next register sir."

"There is a God."  

The little old lady worked through his cart with surprising speed.  She frowned sympathetically at the accumulation of cold remedies, the heating pad, and the ingredients for soup sitting on top of the all the preserves he thought better of snatching up before the winter storm settled in for what the newscast predicted to be the next week or so.  He turned to look out the windows again.  If he drove fast he could beat the worst of it.  

"Is your wife sick?" 

"Sorry?"  

"Your wife?"

"Ah...no, the child is.  Strep throat."

"Poor thing.  Drive safely.  Next!"

The roads were crowded.  Of course.  Friday traffic moved quickly though and soon Alec was tip toeing around the icy driveway of the rent house and fighting desperately to keep the ten grocery sacks in his grip while keying open the door.  

"Shit," He groaned as he locked and dead bolted the door behind himself.  He supposed he deserved Ellie's raised eyebrow.  She was sitting in an armchair in the den, a blanketed bundle attached to her neck.  Fred poked his head out pitifully.  In the kitchen they quickly dosed the toddler and he fell back asleep in his mother's arms.  She disappeared briefly to put him to bed but returned to sort out the rest of the bags with him, filling the pantry and fridge.  

He sensed he was in trouble.  He'd been responding to texts with one or two word responses to spare her from the undoubtably snarky and wrathful edge of his frustration.  And she hated being out of the loop.    

_How's it going?_

_Shite._   

_We're out of Fred's medicine.  Can you pick up some more?_

_Sure._

He winced when she broke the silence but relaxed into the small hand that spread itself across the small of his back.   He turned to face her but the hand remained in place, anchoring him, keeping him still.   

"Care to fill me in?" 

"Nothing to fill in." He sighed, biting at his lip.  Understanding stained her eyes and he felt the knot in the back of his neck loosen.  "How's the fever?" 

"Broke just after dinner.  Tom's staying over at the Bennets tonight.  They were just fixing to drive over when it started icing."   

"Good." He let himself lean back on the counter, hands reaching out for her hips an drawing her forward, closing the gap between them.  She pulled hair behind her ear before sliding her free hand around the back of his neck.  

"Don't look so cross.  It's Friday."  He nodded.  

"It's Friday." He agreed.  An impressive gust of wind rattled the shutters and windows.  Alec instinctively drew Ellie into his chest, watching the door warily.  She snorted and removed herself.  

"C'mon.  Pop the seal on that new bottle of bourbon.  We both deserve it.  I've watched Peppa Pig for six hours today." She reached back for his hand and his fingers slipped in between hers but backwards, her left palm lining up with the back of his left hand.  

Their rings scraped.

"I should have taken today off." He concluded, sitting at the kitchen bar and pouring out the alcohol.  She ventured back into the kitchen for some cheese and brown bread.  Before she could sit his arm had shot out and wrapped around her hips, pulling till she stood between his knees.  She allowed this embrace and reached for her glass, tapping the lip to hers.  She shrugged and knocked it back.  

He felt himself crack the first smile of the day since its beginning.  She winced but then smiled.  Combined with the burn of bourbon in his own mouth he felt something border line cheerful bubbling up.  Ellie reached for his glasses, pulling them off and sticking them in his shirt pocket.  

Alec ran his fingers over the back of her neck and leaned down.  She was still shorter than him.  Held in place by his knees, she returned the gentle kiss and smiled as he missed slightly, catching the corner of her mouth.  

"Better?"

"Better."  He kissed her more firmly.  She hummed and rested her cheek in the crook of his neck as his grip tightened and he took a bite of food.

She pressed her lips ever so lightly, almost shyly, to the skin below his ear.  Alec felt himself smiling again.  

Being married to Ellie Miller was a bit like being married to the sun.  

"Did you miss me?"  Her voice teased his cheek.  

"Car was too quiet.  Had to turn on the radio."  She laughed.  

"Wanker."

"Shut up,"  She remained in his arms till he was done.   


	2. Lock In

Ellie went about locking the front door and checking all the windows.  It only took an hour and a half for snow to hide the ground and weigh down the tree branches outside.  

She checked in on Fred.  The lad was dead to the world, thumb jammed in his mouth, blankie knotted around his little body.  She shut off the lamp in his room and switched on the nightlight, putting another blanket on his bed.  

Alec was sitting on the edge of their bed, file folders open beside him.  

"What's the tally then?" She stretched, dodging into the bathroom to shed jeans and tee shirt.  He smirked as she came out in a rather flattering cut pair of boy shorts and one of his jumpers.  

"Carter check didn't bounce.  So we can close that.  We don't have enough to open one with the Wilders.  It took me till two just to find them."  She picked up the packet labeled Carter and placed it in the correct drawer of the filing cabinet tucked in the back of the study across the hall.  He tossed the other papers in the bathroom bin.  "Fred okay?" 

"I think so.  Tom texted goodnight."  He finally looked relaxed and slumped into the bed, long legs hanging off the edge.  The waist band of his plaid lounge pants and the hem of his grey tee shirt didn't quite meet as he stretched.  She sat cross legged, running a fingers over the ticklish spot just over his hip bone.  He arched and suppressed a smile, batting her hand away playfully.  She smiled back. "Tell me about the Wilders.  I didn't read the email." Alec sucked in a breath, eyes closing.  

"I thought it was a missing persons case.  They asked to meet at a certain address.  Turned out to be a women's shelter.  I was kept waiting for an hour.  An extremely dirty man that called himself Andrew Wilder wanted me to go in and find his wife and daughter."  He opened his eyes to meet hers.  She was cringing.  

"So you left him."

"Asshole had a car.  Somehow.  Drove around for ages trying to get rid of him." They both knew full well the risks of taking on private cases.  

"How did he find us?"

"A regular at the Colman Brother's Bar." She furrowed her brow. 

"What did we do for them again?" 

"Found the niece's missing friend."  

"Ah, yes."  She remembered.  "So we're done with this Wilder fellow?" 

"I figure we should check with the women's shelter just in case."  She nodded and moved up the bed, switched off the lamp.  He turned over lazily, burying himself in a pillow while still on top of the covers.  "Such a bloody waste."  

"You didn't miss much." 

"I promised I'd take care of Fred."  It was muffled but she bit her lip and fought a snicker.  The vows were three months old and seemingly a constant in the forefront of his mind.  Call it a poorly hidden vulnerability of his.  

"Theeeeen you can let me sleep late tomorrow.  And mind Fred when he cries."  He grunted what must have been an acceptance of the deal.  "Alec," He came up on his elbows and searched for her eyes in the dark.  She was sitting against the headboard, knees held to her chest.  "Are you alright?" 

"Yah. Why?" 

"Bad weather always puts you in a mood."

"Oh really?" His accent cracked and she giggled.  He wasted no time, rising up on his knees above her, boxing her in.  She was still smiling.  Damn.  She saw through the show of machismo.  She reached for his wrists.  

"What's the matter?" He gave an exaggerated sigh.  She let out a yelp as he grabbed her knees and hauled her down to lay beside him.  He got a smack for manhandling but he got what he was aiming for- Ellie curling into his space with a leg hitched over his hip to prevent his escape.  He resumed his position slightly above her, on an elbow.  The wind was white noise outside.    

"It feels as if this is going to be a rough winter."  

"You're no better than a grumpy old house cat." She teased. "Scared of a little snow.  I should have seen it coming with the water phobia and everything."  He rolled his eyes and gave a mock huff.  

"Maybe.  I don't know.  I'm anxious.  I can't put a name to it yet."  

"Let me know if you do.  I can help."  

"Mmmm,"  He pondered noncommittally.  

"I promised to." She reminded him.  He admitted defeat and reached down, filling his hand with her thigh.  He sunk down slowly to her level, head pillowed on his arm.    

"I don't like it when you're not working..."

"So you did miss me." She giggled.  He laughed.  Her nose brushed his cheek before she kissed him.  He deepened it almost instantly, tongue dabbing into her mouth teasingly.  She bit his lip.  "You're like a wind storm."

"What?  You breathless?"

"You're everywhere at once."  The notion didn't seem terrible to her.  Not yet at least.  He smirked and got hit again for the warped innuendo.  "You're such a bloke." 

"Expecting someone else are we?" She covered her mouth and yawned before she could volley a response to their nightly banter.  Alec dropped a whisper of a kiss against her forehead.   "We can talk in the morning." 

"Can't pay you a compliment for shit." She mumbled.  He snickered as the covers were kicked down and they settled.  As his body entered that last stage of relaxation he got a short falling sensation followed by the familiar weight of the pace maker in his chest.  It went away as her hand smoothed over his abdomen.  


	3. Freezing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mature content in this chapter. Mindless intimacy really. Plot to resume.

Ellie woke up early despite herself.  The first grey light of the day was barely threading through the malicious winter clouds outside.  As she opened her eyes a ripple of shivers ascended her spine.  There was an extra blanket on the bed but the other side of the bed was empty.  She forced herself up, rushing into a pair of socks and leggings.  The jumper she stole from him to sleep in was nowhere near enough against the frigid morning.  

Thankfully, her son's room was much warmer than theirs.  Her missing husband had seen to that with a space heater.  

Alec was in the rocker next to the daybed with the still sleeping Fred on his chest.  He smiled at her softly from over the toddler's head.  

"How's he?"

"Better.  Go back to sleep."

"Can't.  House is a meat locker."  

"I'll fix it." She raised an eyebrow and slipped into the room, taking Fred carefully and putting him back in his bed.  She followed him as he went to fiddle with the thermostat and then the water heater tucked in the back of the laundry room downstairs. "Christ-you're right." They could almost see their breathes on the stairs.  

"Should I call someone?" Alec shook his head.  

"Just needs to be cranked up a little bit.  Looks just fine, see?" She leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he tinkered a little longer.  The room filled with a rumble and a buzz as if a machine had been switched on.  "That ought to do it." He sighed. "Have you heard from the Bennets?"

"As soon as the main roads are cleared they'll bring him home."

"Good." He turned towards her and leaned over her, forearm coming to rest on the wall near her head.  She smirked and looked up a him as he moved her chin with his other hand, trying to get a better look at her eyes.  "You need to go back to sleep.  It just now six."

"Come with me, it's still cold up there."  The laundry room was warming rapidly with the door shut.  Alec smiled again.  

Sometimes it felt like she and the kids were the only ones to see him smile like this.  And increasingly she noticed him looking at her differently.  She couldn't quite describe it further, other than the fact that it was different and made her feel like the only thing that mattered.  

He kissed her, effectively disrupting whatever conclusion she was about to draw.

Ellie breathed deeply through her nose and deepened the kiss, pressing her mouth into his harder and teasing her tongue against him.  He laughed lightly before returning the ministrations enthusiastically, hands sliding under her sweater and against her bare back without hesitation, sucking on her bottom lip.  

Call it the honeymoon phase- but the thrill still hadn't faded.

"Fuck- Ellie..."  He anchored a thigh between her legs as he pulled his mouth off hers and worked her throat with the same hungry kisses, not shying from marking the skin that joined to the very edge of her collarbone.  Her hips began to cant into his leg feverishly and they both broke into a sweat.  "Still cold?" He teased.  

"Little bit," She lied, knowing full well how to tickle that little possessive streak in him.  "You gonna take care of that?"

"Yah," He accent darkened as he reached the extent of the stretch in the neck of her jumper, giving access to her breast.  The poker faces dropped with her keen and his grunt.  He began rutting up against her and forcing her harder into the wall.  Oh yes.  That was good.  The slip of control was delisciously heady and Christ- 

The doorbell rang.  

"Oh come on." She nearly cried, shimmying against now uncomfortable panties. Alec groaned again, recovering her.  

"Tom..." He murmured, dropping kisses over her forehead and cheeks.  

"I can't-"

"Yes you can love," He soothed, rubbing her arms and whispering in her ear, thumbs running under her eyes.  He was obviously in no state to open the door to his stepchild and the parents of his best friend. "He'll probably go back to bed or lock himself away anyway.  I'll draw you a bath and-" The promises that followed went above and beyond to motivate his wife.  

True to prediction, Tom gave her a loose armed hug about the waist before stumbling upstairs to his room, eyes barely open.  Helen Bennet smiled from underneath her three scarves and shrugged.  Ellie felt her pulse slow with a blast of freezing air.  The house was warm in comparison.    

"They watched movies all night.  Sorry for the hour.  We're due for another round of this shit-" She gestured to the snow piles cleared by the plows. "-before noon."  

"Really?  Jesus.  Get home then as quick as you can.  Tell James I said hello.  And thank you so much."

"Any time darling, any time."  She winced as she walked upstairs to check the boys.  There was a space heater ready in Tom's room.  He was out like a light, clothes in a pile on the floor.  

She let him sleep on, closing the door behind herself.  Fred hadn't budged.  Alec was waiting.                  


	4. Residual

Helen Bennet was absolutely correct.  The wind began howling again right about nine.  The boys were sleeping on.  It was dead quiet aside from the storm.  Ellie watched from the window, shaking out her wet curls and fastening a flannel button down around herself.  The house was warm again.    

"What are you thinking?" Alec posed, sitting on the unmade bed.  He had his glasses on as he sorted through emails; probably searching for a viable case to fill the hours they might find themselves barricaded in their own home.  

"Haven't seen a storm this bad since I was a child."  She answered, sitting down next to him cross legged.  "My mother took Lucy and me to France on a ski holiday.  I was ten I think.  Lu was six."  He looked up from the laptop.  

"Were you outside?"  

"No.  Trapped inside a cabin for three days with my recently sober mother and baby sister."   He raised both eyebrows.  

"You didn't tell me your mother was an alcoholic." 

"She had good months and bad months."  She conceded, biting her lip.  He called on prior knowledge.  Ellie's mother died before she was twelve.  Her father left his daughters for another women once Ellie was of age and able to care for Lucy.  A Broadchurch scandal even then.       

"If you were ten then...she passed away a little while after?" 

"Yes."  

"-and you said storms put  _me_ in a mood."

"Shut up." She smiled, his attempt to lighten the mood successful.  "What are you reading?" 

"Trash,"  He pushed the computer off the the side, giving the screen a frustrated gesture.  Since their names became known as excellent for-hire private detectives, there was no want for messages from desperate people.  Unfortunately, only a small percentage were really viable people that they could truly attempt to help.  A good deal of communications came from either unstable sources, criminals, cold cases much too cold, petty spats between tumultuous husbands and wives or still active cases.  Sometimes cases countries away.  They were in no position to take pro-bono work.  They could cover England and on some occasions Wales.  They chose not to involve themselves in most still open cases.  Their names were not taken kindly in several towns.  Many jobs were just out of their reach.  

Ellie sighed and curled on her side on the bed, cheek coming to rest on his thigh.  She felt his fingers card through his hair almost instantly, kneading the back of her neck.  

"What are you thinking?" She turned his question back around.  

"The Wilders."  She tried not to act surprised at how readily he answered.  

"I don't like the sound of him." 

"I don't like the look of any of it.  I feel like there's something missing."  

"As soon as the weather clears up we can go back to the shelter.  We'll settle it."  

"Don't they have some confidentiality agreement there?  Even if he has a living breathing wife and child they could be running from him, using different names or something..." He sighs.    

"We'll settle it." She repeated, reaching up for his hand and holding it against her waist, lacing their fingers.  "What did the original email say?" Alec used his free hand to search the still open laptop. 

"To Detectives Hardy and Miller,"  Alec sighed, "My name is Andrew Wilder and I am a lifelong resident of London, England.  I am in need of assitance in locating my wife.  She's been missing for three months now and the detectives have been fooled.  They say she left me.  I have convincing evidence to the contrary.  If you can be engaged please meet me at address below.  Blessings, Andrew Wilder Junior.  He included this family picture and nothing else." She turned enough to see what appeared to be a recent photo of a nice young man with curly black hair, a beautiful young woman with long blond hair, and a little girl with piercing green eyes.  

"Shockingly coherent." 

"The address was for a recently out of business Bistro across from the shelter."

"Christ.  That's sketchy."  

"On that account I'm thrilled you weren't with me."

"You said he was dirty?"

"Torn joggers, grubby jacket, ancient boots, out of control beard with bizarre braids and all knotted up, hair in a really long pony tail..." He mused, "Smelled like piss and cheap beer.  Terrible cataracts in the left eye.  Textbook crazy homeless man type."  

"Is three months long enough for that drastic a transformation?"

"That's what I wonder."

"What about the car?"

"Barely functioning old plumbing van from what I could tell.  Out of date inspection.  I think the only reason he stopped following me was because it stopped running in the middle of the road."  He gave a disbelieving laugh and shook his head.  She hummed and closed the laptop.  

"So even if he isn't Andrew Wilder- he knew too much."

"Exactly."

"Anything in the papers or on the internet about the Wilders?"

"No.  Got put on hold with Scotland Yard when I mentioned the name too."

"Odd.  Did you try Officer Pegg?"

"He couldn't talk.  All free hands were checking on some shut ins before the storm hit."  He rolled his thumb over her knuckles and set his jaw.  He seemed to have felt better having laid out all the bits and pieces buzzing around in his head.  Ellie sat up from his lap, still holding his hand.  

"Shelf it for the day.  I'll be ridiculously bored here by myself."  

"Sure," He agreed.  "Let me call Daisy."  She took his phone and dialed in a video chat.   


	5. Broken Silence

Lazy days were rare in the Hardy-Miller home.  It wasn't for lack of trying.  They were an extraordinarily busy family but the fact that they had become a family was rather impressive in itself.  

A movie was on the living room TV.  Monster House.  Enthralling enough for both Tom and Fred.  Tom was spiraled on the floor with overdue homework.  School was scheduled to resume in two days.  Fred was quiet content, cuddled up on his mother's lap with his thumb in his mouth.  His wide little eyes were glued to the movie.  

Alec was in the corner of the couch with Ellie resting on his shoulder.  He looked extremely content for the moment, probably because the conversation had an hour ago with Daisy Hardy had gone so well.  She was coming to spend the Christmas holiday with them.  The whole mixed family would be under the same roof for two full weeks.  It would be the best kind of chaos.  

He ran his fingers over Ellie's shoulder in small circles.  This was rare too.  They weren't usually so cuddly.  Especially with kids around.  Blame it on the weather.  Snow drifts were practically under the windows now, packing up around the porches and trees and making everything shorter.  

Fred stretched and giggled at a funny bit in the movie.  He shifted so that he was draped lazily over both Alec and Ellie's laps, dragging his blanket along with him.  His mother and stepfather exchanged an amused glance and let him settle.  Alec patted the little boy's back and tickled his neck before letting an arm drape him.  Fred laughed again.  

Ellie turned her face into her husband's shoulder and breathed deeply.  Tom rolled his eyes.  

"Think we can get takeaway for lunch?" He posed sarcastically, going up on his elbows to look at the white tundra wasteland their block had become.  

"Pizza!" Fred shrieked.  Ellie sighed.

"It'll be an ice pizza by the time is gets here.  No good." She explained to her youngest.  He pulled a vaguely disgusted face at the notion of eating ice.  "I can try chicken and dumplings."  Tom looked impressed and also wary.  She shot him a look.  

"Mashed potatoes?"  He supplemented. 

"Mac a' cheese!" Fred added.  

"Oh my God that sounds amazingly terrible..." Ellie moaned.

"I'll help." Alec supplied.  

"Good."  They didn't budge for awhile though.  

 

~

 

"Can I help you child?"

"I didn't mean to disturb you miss."  A nun and a teenager were the soul occupants of the small little chapel.  A cheap stereo was playing some choral monk singing and chanting.  Candles lit the room.    

"Not at all.  Do you want to pray with me?"  

"Will you listen? 

"Of course.  I cannot take confessions though.  Father Leon is out."  

"Forgive me.  I'm a methodist."

"No difference to me.  My name is Gloria."

"I'm Abigail Wilder."  The new acquaintances sat side by side in the front pew, in front of pious images of Christ on the cross praying for his children's salvation.  

"Are you in trouble?  I haven't seen you here before?"

"My Mum and I...I think we're in trouble."

 

"What kind of trouble?" 

"I'm not sure." 

 

~

 

Ellie put the chicken in the oven while Alec poured them both a glass of wine.  

"We should do this more often." He concluded.  Fred came wobbling in, still a little off balance from being sick.  The movie must have ended. Alec scooped him up and bounced him on his hip, teasingly offering him a sip of wine.  Fred took one whiff and pulled a horrifying face, covering his mouth with a hand.  

"No more cough Awec- no no." Poor thing thought it was more medicine. Ellie bubbled up with giggles.  Alec grinned.  They tapped their glasses together lightly.  Fred's horror was magnified as they drank their medicine.  Ellie began rolling dough for biscuits.  Alec brushed flour off her forehead and kissed the spot before returning Fred to the couch and turning on more cartoons for him.  Tom sang along to the Wonder Pets theme song to evince another laugh from his brother.  

Ellie sucked in a breath and another long drink of wine.  Sometimes watching all her boys together made her feel a little too sentimental.  It was like her whole life was built for this moment.  For these children and for Alec bloody Hardy.  

"What next?" Alec was at her side again, smiling again.  He was in an almost annoyingly good mood.  

"Can you cut some-" His mouth on hers again cut her off abruptly.  

"That is really good wine." He murmured to himself.  "Chives right?" He continued, turning towards the fridge.  

"Yah," She shook her head.  "If we have any."   


	6. Open Doors

The roads were under control by Tuesday and Fred had bounced back from his strep throat wonderfully.  The boys were taken to school.  Snow still blanketed the suburbs and the wind was absolutely brutal.  Neither Tom nor Fred needed much motivation to get into their respective schools.  

Alec took over the driving as Ellie carried Fred into his building and instructed Tom on how to pick up his little brother after the day was over and to meet up with the Bennet boys again and stay with them till she got home.  If it took that long.  God bless the Bennets.  He was former police.  She was former military.  They were both nurses now.  Unusual but the change of pace seemed to suit them.  They knew what it was like and helped them whole heartedly and without judgement.  In return Ellie would host the twins that were Tom's age and the new baby on date nights and helped the young couple make ends meet in the bookkeeping at the end of each month.  It was good to have such neighbors again.  Damn good.  

Alec drove them along the slow morning rush hour, till they were across town and across the street from the shelter.  He groaned as the wind picked up and the snow started falling again.  Ellie wrinkled her nose and pulled on gloves.  They made a blind run for the door.  A gust of wind aided the door opening.  Ellie gave an exhilarated laugh and a "Christ!"  as Alec fingered snow out of his hair and beard and tightened his scarf.  

"Hello!"  A nun was laughing at them from behind a desk.  "My it's messy out there.  How can I help you?"

"Yes, right..." Alec took a breath.  "This is going to sound highly unusual but I hope you'll hear me out.  Sister-?"

"Gloria," She was still smiling.  Ellie took it was a good sign.  

"We are private detectives.  We have reason to believe you might have some residents at the moment in a bit of danger."  

"Oh,"  The smile faded.  "Come with me won't you?" They were led to an office with a great deal of book and a rather tiny priest perched on a desk.  "Father Leon, Private Detectives."  

"We cannot return women to the homes they are running from."

"We don't believe that is the case sir."

"Sit down then, by all means.  You came out in this weather...tell me your names?"

"Alec Hardy,"

"Ellie Miller-Hardy."  

"No relation?" He teased.  "Anyway, tell me everything."  

"We believe you may or may not have residents in danger..." Alec told the story again.  Ellie handed over a copy they had printed off of the picture from the email.  Father Leon and Sister Gloria listened intently an exchanged a glance.  

"We have two women here that are using the name Wilder.  A mother and daughter."  Gloria fingered the photo.  "Abigail Wilder is eighteen though, nearly a women.  Her mother, Lily Wilder, is very pregnant now and struggling with depression."  

"How long have they been here?"

"About a week now." Father Leon recalled.  

"Have they told you anything else about themselves?"  The priest shook his head.  Gloria bit her lip.  

"Abigail talked with me last night.  She was looking for a quiet place to sit and came to the chapel..." She winced and rubbed at the rosary around her wrists.  "She thinks she's in some sort of trouble.  Her father was killed a long time ago and financial problems caught up and forced them out of their home around the time she finished school.  I think they've been robbed of inheritance." 

"No mentions of Andrew Wilder?  Junior or Senior?"

"Not yet."  

"May we talk to them?"  

"We can ask.  They may refuse you though."  Father Leon stood.  

"We understand completely.  We can offer them some help."  

"I remember what you did for the Colman brothers.  There mother was a regular in my congregation.  I trust you so far.  Do you have a card I can leave them if they won't see you?"

"Absolutely," Father Leon sought the Wilder women.  Sister Gloria took them to a private room that would be more comfortable for a meeting.  It seemed to function as a multipurpose class room.  Father Leon returned rapidly with a young woman.

"Abigail?" Ellie asked.  She nodded quickly before looking to the clergy.  They left after an understanding nod.  

"Who hired you?"

"We were hoping you could tell us actually." She sank into a chair across the table from them.  She appeared to be a typical alternative teenager fresh out of finishing school.  Her hair was shaved close to her head on one side and tumbled down past her shoulders in long brown waves on the other.  The hand me down clothes must have been from the shelter.  Tee shirt was a bit too small.  Joggers were a bit too big.  She had on thick socks and wore a long set of wooden beads around her neck.  Piercing eyes.  The little girl in the photo was definitely her.  

"What happened?" Alec told the story yet again and Abigail listened patiently, rubbing the back of her neck.  

"You met Andrew Senior.  My father was Andrew Junior.  He died in a car accident when I was sixteen."

"I'm so sorry," She shrugged.  

"So he knows we're here..." She murmured to herself, looking about ready to cry.  "My grandfather robbed us.  He used to have influence.  Money.  He owned a bunch of restaurants.  My father was his only child.  He just lost it.  Absolutely lost it.  He blamed us for driving his boy nuts.  Offered up some sort of proof that my father meant to run head on into a truck to kill himself..."  She swallowed.  "We didn't get a cent of life insurance you see.  Our luck ran out a year ago and he still can't leave us the fuck alone."  

"He's following you?"  

"Yes sir."  She rubbed her eyes miserably.  "You're not the first private detectives he's sent after us."    

"Has he ever been threatening?"

"He hit my mother.  We were waitressing.  He followed us.  She took him out back.  Begged him to leave us be.  She was carrying a baby and she couldn't take the stress.  He heard pregnant and just started wailing on her...manager helped me pull him off.  We got fired for the trouble.  "

"How long ago was that?"

"Three months ago."

"How you filed any police reports?"

"Not with anybody that took us seriously.  Can't trust two homeless women can you?" Abigail  fidgeted in her seat. "I can see the pity in your eyes.  Things are getting better though." 

"Are they?"

"The baby's grandparents..." She winced. "That sounds so weird.  The parents of the man that knocked Mum up...they finally heard what happened and have reached out to us.  When the baby is born, they've offered to open a trust fund for him or her and put us in an apartment till we can support ourselves again.  They're nice people.  They really are.  It's just a matter of getting my bull headed mother out of bed-"

"You've done a lot of growing up haven't you?" Ellie cut her off.  Abigail blushed.  

"Tried to." She shrugged again.  "Father Leon said you might be able to help us..."

"We can get the proper reports filed.  If the deal with these benefactors doesn't go through, we can help you stay here.  I've seen women work their way up from this shelter to buying their open homes in less than a year.  You're on good standing whether or not it feels like it."  

"Bless." She laughed lightly.  "I'm sorry my mother wouldn't come."

"When is she due?"

"Next week or so."  

"We'll leave you our card and get back to you as soon as we can."

"You can call the front desk.  Sister Gloria will answer and send for me." The girl stood, smiling genuinely.  "I can't thank you enough." 

"Excellent." Father Leon and Sister Gloria shook their hands enthusiastically before they braved the outdoors again.  The wind was calmer and the snow had dissipated to flurries in the air.  It felt like living in a snow globe.  

The walkway was incredibly slippery.  They skidded on their heals, hands fisting each other's coats, and Ellie fell straight away on her bum.  Alec burst into laughter, barely attempting to contain it.  She snorted and was about to retort when the pain hit, stinging her wrist and causing all the air to leave her lungs.  Alec caught on rather quickly thankfully.    

"Oh shit, c'mere."  He slipped his arms around her waist and hauled her up.  She was put in the front seat.  He rooted through the trunk for the first aid kit.  

"Not broken.  I'm fine."  She argued, moving her wrist experimentally as he started the car and kicked the heat on.  

"Shut up Ellie."  He tossed her a packet of pain relievers.  "Coat off, sleeve up." She rolled her eyes at the tone but took the instruction.  A mixture of KT tape, and a velcro brace supported the joint.  She closed her eyes and sunk into the seat as he tightened the straps and set the wrist firmly in place.  "If it still hurts tonight I'm sure Helen Bennet can help.  How're the fingers?" She flipped him off.  He grinned.  "Operational then." She cracked a smile and let it turn into a full out giggle.  He teasingly caught the arm and brought the wrist to his mouth.  

"Cheeky."  Her elbow was obviously not causing her any pain as it caught his rib cage.  "Get us somewhere with tea.  I can't bloody think when it's this cold."

"Aye, c'mere first."

"No way you laughed at me."  

"C'mere,"  She rolled her eyes and pecked the corner of his mouth.            

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I greatly appreciate feedback and suggestions. 
> 
> Cheers! xo


	7. Prioritize

"Look, I'm sorry Mr. Hardy.  I can't get off till seven thirty tonight." She could overhear the phone conversation from across the booth.   

"Alright, let me think."  Alec huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose.  Ellie rolled her eyes and got his attention by tapping the table in front of him. 

"Just invite her over then." 

"Right.  Yes.  Of course.  Won't you come by the house then?" 

"That could work.  I'll pull whatever information we have in archives.  Shoot me those names again..." 

"Andrew Wilder. W-i-l-d-e-r."  The waitress came around and Ellie ordered lunch for the both of them while Alec exchanged more information with one of their few useful contacts at Scotland Yard, Inspector Nicole Pegg.  Nobody knew the archives like her.  Ellie sent off a text to Tom to let him know to come home after school.  Looks like their day wasn't going to be as eventful as planned.  "Great," Alec hung up and warmed his hands on his mug of tea.  

It was something they had yet to adjust to really, the lack of urgency involved in this kind of casework.  

"Nothing else on the agenda?" She tried. 

"Not yet.  How's the budget?" 

"We were looking kind of shaky last week but I forgot child support is coming in on Friday.  We'll be fine."  

"Even if we don't get paid for this?"  

"Yes Alec," She assured him.  "You just said we've got nothing better to do." He had the urge to do something about that playful little smile she shot him but the waitress came by with their lunch.  He shrugged and reached for her right hand absently, weighing the injured and braced wrist in his palm.  

"So what now?"

"We've got a few hours," She sighed.  "You're going to laugh at me-"

"Am I?"

"I'm exhausted and I feel like we may not get much sleep tonight.  I'd like to grab a nap."

"No judgement.  It physically hurt to get out of bed this morning."  He rubbed his eyes before stealing a chip off her plate.  

"God I love this job."  He smirked.  

"Happy wife, little strife."

"Shut up you."  They bolted their food and overtipped.  

 

~

 

"Mumma.  Mumma wake up."  

"What is it?"

"You've been sleeping all day.  It's two in the afternoon." Abigail Wilder prodded her mother, kneeling on the floor next to her cot.  "You need to take a shower and eat something." Lily Wilder childishly pulled the covers over her head.  

"Don't worry about me love."

"It's not you I'm worried about _love_." She snapped back before she thought it through.  Lily sucked in a breath. "Sorry." Abigail mumbled, not at all apologetic.  "I let you get away with it yesterday.  Come on.  Get up.  You don't get to say no." Lily sat up and stared at the floor.  

"I didn't eat yesterday?"

"There's soup in the kitchen.  Come on."  

"I need liquor."  

"No you don't." The Wilder women even laughed like they were on eggshells.  

 

~

 

It didn't always come to fruition in words so much.  It was usually at really odd hours or moments that Alec Hardy realized he had married the most gorgeous woman in the world.  

He addressed her as such on the little cards on the flowers he had sent on her birthday last year; the one that rolled around after their second or third date and he was still working his ass off to maintain whatever it was they were creating.  Christ.  He figured it stuck cause if the sentiment ever slipped out in the morning bathroom routine or the nightly goodnight or offhandedly throughout the day it was far more stripped down.   _Hey love.  Beautiful._ It always made her flush and drop eye contact.    

Yet here it was.  Half two on a Tuesday afternoon.  Ellie was curled up in a ball on his side of the bed in clothes that most definitely used to be his.  She was just on the edge of sleep because the overloud-overexaggerated cheek kiss he planted on her earned him a smack on the shoulder.

"Rude."

"Wanker." He flopped on the bed and slipped his hand around her hip.  "Make it fast.  I have a headache."  

"Jesus." He snorted and they dissolved into giggles.  She caught his hand before it could slip up between her breasts.  She kicked the covers down and buried herself in his pillow.  

"Weirdo."  He gave a kind of noncommittal grunt and pinched her leg.

 

~

 

"Hullo Tom." The little lady that ran the daycare handed over a clipboard for Tom to sign out his brother.  

"Hullo.  Whatcha got there Freddy?"

"Surprises for Mummmm and Awec and Tom-Tom!"  Fred was folding a surprisingly neat bundle of papers into his tiny backpack.  

"C'mon.  Time to go home."  Tom held out his overcoat.  

"Piggyback!"  

"Alright."  Tom hauled the little boy on his back.  "Put your hat on.  Colder than a witch's tit out there."  Fred giggled at the teacher's horrified expression.  The Miller boys set out for the bus stop.  

"Tom.  Who's that?"

"Who's who?"  

"Who's that woo-kin' at us?"  Fred pointed across the street.  Tom swallowed and smacked his brother's hand. "Hey!"  

"Dunno.  Don't point." The eldest brother angled them to be in the middle of the huddle of people waiting to get on the metro, away from the pointed stare of a bearded stranger.  Tom berated himself.  Bloody London.  Could be anyone, right?                         

 


	8. Reckon

"Well that's fucked up." Nicole Pegg decided, having heard Alec and Ellie's side of the case.  A peal of giggles came from the living room.  

"Upstairs!" Ellie ordered for the third time as she poured coffee for the three of them, gathered around the dining room table.  

"We're going, we're going." Tom came and went with a sleepy Fred on his hip.  "G'night Inspector Pegg."  

"Night Tom-Boy.  Bye bye Freddy." She giggled.  "Sorry,"  

"Nothing he hasn't heard." Ellie sighed and sat down again.  

"Or used." Alec followed up.  "Did you find anything?" Pegg reached for her backpack and pulled out a painfully thin file for them to look at before taking her gray hair down from its regimental knot.    

"December twenty third, twenty thirteen.  Just shy of Christmas." She sighed.  There were pictures of the accident.  Rather gory really.  A tiny sedan smashed into the front of a grocery lorry.  Autopsy report ruled Andrew Wilder Junior's death by head trauma.  Seemingly accidental with the icy roads.  Paper clipped to the back of the file was the report made by Andrew Wilder Senior as well as a copy of the so called suicide note mailed to the father.  It was completely typed.  

"Okay.  This is ridiculous." Ellie agreed.    

"Only two officers were on the case.  They're long gone to some other office by now.  Poor girls though.  I can't even imagine what they're going through.  If I hadn't been on holiday that week-"

"Who's to say, yah?" Alec cut her off before they could sink each other any further into self deprecation.  Ellie smothered a smile.  Soppy.  

"How's your wrist love?" Pegg touched Ellie's hand.  The brace had come off and she was done to the KT tape.  

"Just fine I think.  More bruised than anything."  

"Hit him with a closed fist next time." She teased, side eyeing Alec.  He rolled his eyes.  

 

~

 

"Mumma?  You okay?"  After sitting on the bathroom counter for fifteen minutes she realized she hadn't heard her a single thing move in ages.    

"Call Sister Gloria."

"What for?"

"NOW."

"Damn.  Ease up.  You don't get to ignore me for days and then start yell-" Abigail pulled the curtain and almost gagged.  "For fuck's sake-" Blood was running down Lily's legs.    

 

~  

 

Nicole thanked them for their hospitality and dessert and took her leave.  It was nearing nine.  Ellie put their mugs in the sink while Alec locked up.  He was right in the middle of catching her hips and mouthing on her neck when her cell phone chimed.  

"They rushed Lily to the hospital."  

"Get your coat, I'll tell Tom."    

 

~

 

They didn't have to search long.  Abigail was sitting on a bench outside the hospital lighting up a cigarette, mindless of the cold.  Alec snagged the filter out of her mouth and stubbed it out in the snow, putting his jacket around her as he guided her inside.  In the waiting room she sank into a chair and look at them blearily.  

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to-"

"Never mind that.  What happened?" Ellie sat next to her and took her hand.  

"I finally got her to eat and clean up some.  Her water broke but it was bloody.  Really bloody.  She passed out in the ambulance.  I haven't been updated yet."  

"Did you contact that couple- the baby's grandparents?"

"Yes sir.  They'll be here in the morning.  They're taking a train or something.  I don't know." They sat in silence for a while, watching each other fidget.  

"We talked to a friend at Scotland Yard.  She's ready to meet with you and take your statement, have your grandfather be taken off the streets immediately.  Restraining order.  Anything you need.  You have us at witnesses."  

"Bless."  She swallowed, squeezing Ellie's hand.  

"Have you been thinking of names?"  

"Mum likes Wallace."  

"You don't sound impressed." Alec snickered.  

"It's dreadful.  I voted Bo.  Or Andy."  A nurse came around to tell them Lily was out of the operating room and being put in intensive care.  There had been drastic blood loss.  The baby was beautiful though.  A little girl with an apparently comical full head of hair.  

"All Wilders are like that."  Abigail nearly doubled over with emotion.  "Who can I see?"  There were only three infants in the natal ward, a set of twins and Baby Wilder.  Abigail pretended that Alec and Ellie were Lily's brother and sister to get them in.  The set of twins was being taken out to be reunited with their mother so they were left alone with the tiny human wrapped in crocheted hats and blankets under the plastic box.  

"Hello," Abigail sighed, washing up without being told to slid her hands in the little domain to stroke her new sister's nose.  Brunette hair was slipping out of the beanie.  Her little eyes were shut tight and her skin was soft and new and pink.  "Hello, hello." The nurse had warned them about the cleft lip on the way in but Abigail seemed unfazed.  

"She's beautiful." Ellie rubbed Abigail's back and she blinked tears.  "Even prettier than mine."  She giggled lightly.  The baby's hand caught Abigail's pinkie.  Her legs began moving experimentally.    Abigail moved her finger over the smooth hitch of skin deforming the top lip.  

"I had one too.  My Mum and Dad were distant cousins through marriage.  No blood in common at all.  People still thought we were sin spawn."  

"We?"

"My mother was pregnant when my father died.  The shock- baby was five months premature.  He didn't last the night."  

"Christ.  No wonder you were so scared."  

"You can hold her if you like."  They all jumped at the nurse.  

"Absolutely."  

"Do you know what names your mother picked out?  We can fill out the birth certificate here in a little bit."  Abigail folded the absurdly small bundle in her arms and kissed her forehead before looking bewilderedly from Alec to Ellie.  Ellie giggled and shrugged.  Alec's hand slipped around her waist and anchored her in to his hip.  "I'll leave you to it."  She winked and left them alone.  

"Andrea Wallace?"  

"Andrea Wallace Wilder."  

"Poetic."  They stayed with her in the children's ward till five in the morning.  They met Rodger and Gregory O'Henry, the foretold grandparents of the child.  They fawned over Abigail and Andrea so enthusiastically that Ellie could elbow the shock out of Alec to avoid embarrassment.  The two men thanked them repeatedly and insisted on being in contact the next day for payment and a proper meal.  Alec pulled them outside as Ellie said goodbye to the girls and gave Abigail some gentle advice about the first few days of life seeing as Lily might be out of the picture for the week.    

"What will happen to Abigail and Lily?" Alec didn't beat around the bush.  

"We've had hell trying to find an apartment man."  Rodger rubbed his neck, suddenly embarrassed.  

"So we renovated our attic space.  Good enough apartment for them we wager."  Gregory covered, probably saving his husband a thrashing.  

"You're taking responsibility for all three of them?"

"Until they're back on their feet."  Rodger answered quickly.   "Our son is an idiot Mr. Hardy."  

"We want to help her get the best start in life she can.  We'll pay for the reconstruction surgery and start an education fund for her.  Our boy is recently married and he and his wife aren't interested in children...I assure you.  They'll be taken care of." 

"See to it."  

"Excuse him." Ellie joined them and tugged on his arm.  "We'll see you tomorrow...today." She corrected herself upon catching a glance of her watch.  

The sun rose on their way home and Alec's hand was drawing heavy circles on her thigh.  It felt almost like a resolution.  Almost.  

      


	9. Swear On It

The house was empty.  Tom and Fred were gone.  There was an unsigned note on the counter in Tom's handwriting.   _With Bennets._   

"Jesus fucking Christ." Only problem was Helen Bennet wouldn't answer her phone.  Ellie must have tried six times as Alec got them back in the car and back on the road.  With the snow and the morning traffic it would take an hour to get to the Bennet house.  If they were even there.  

"Breathe love," Alec mumbled under his breath as they came to standstill 7 am traffic.  Tom wasn't picking up his phone either.  Ellie's hands were shaking too badly to open the text that responded.  She pushed in into his hands.  "He says  _we're fine, phone's dying, with Helen, hurry up_."  

"Seriously?"  Ellie pitched her own device into the backseat.

"Knock it off." Alec pushed on her leg.  "Does it really feel like something's wrong?  You'd know if something was wrong.  You're panicking."  

"Fucking hell."

"Are you trying to set a record or something?" Traffic began moving again.  

"Shut up."  

"Don't pout.  You know I'm right."  Alec bit back a smug smile but Ellie caught on.  

"If it were Daisy you'd be doing the same thing."

"Maybe," He shrugged.  "Ellie you're my wife and I'm your husband so fucking trust me on this.  Everything's okay."  

"If I had heard that string of words a year ago...Christ."  Fred was playing in the snow out front with Helen.  Ellie nearly cried when the little boy came running to Alec with fist fulls of snowflakes in some attempt to start a snowball fight.  

"Tom?"

"At school with he boys.  I saw to it."  

"What happened?"

"Come inside."  

 

~

 

Helen's husband sat in the living room with Fred and their six month old watching cartoons.  Helen explained the late night phone call from Tom.  There were strange noises around two in the morning.  He didn't feel safe.  John Bennet rushed over to stay with them till morning initially, till he heard the footsteps too.  There was nobody to be seen.  No unusual cars.  He rushed them out to the car and brought them over and that was the end of that.  

Ellie was dumbfounded.  Alec was panicky now.   

"Do you mind keeping Fred today?" 

"Not at all."  

"We'll be back soon."  He led Ellie out by the arm again, barely giving her a chance to kiss her child goodbye.  He got on the phone with Inspector Pegg.  They needed to get Andrew Wilder off the street now.  

 

~

 

Abigail sat in her mother's hospital room with Andrea in her arms and Sister Gloria at her side.  Lily was in a coma.  The new found grandfathers were asleep on the floor.   

"Where do they go when they're like this?" The girl nodded at her mother.   

"Hell if I know."  Abigail double-taked at the nun.  Gloria shrugged.  

"Shit man."  

"Hush," The women giggled lightly.  Andrea must have gotten the vibes because she started smiling in her sleep.  

"Do you believe in those ninety minutes in heaven stories?  The people who go and come back?"  

"I think I'm obligated." Gloria laughed. "I think in these limbo stages though, I think they live in their own minds."  

"She keeps smiling.  Like Andrea.  Like she's dreaming."  Abigail huffed, a little exasperated.

"What do the doctors say?"

"Right now it could go either way.  Depending on the end of the week- if she improves they're not worried.  If she gets worse I have to choose..."   

"-and if she stays the same?" 

"They haven't considered that yet.  I just know we don't have the insurance or the means to keep her here and wait for her to move."  

"I'm so sorry."  

"I think I'm in trouble again Sister."  

"You're not alone this time."  Gloria nodded towards the men on the floor.  "How are they?" 

"More than generous so far."  

"If it doesn't work out, I have a second bedroom in my own home.  We can move you out of shelters for good."  

"Christ.  My luck's got to run out eventually."  

"Grace doesn't run out." Gloria corrected her.  "Have you eaten yet?" 

"Yah.  Mumma's nurses saw to us.  Is that your phone or mine?"  

"Why would a nun have Destiny's Child as her ring tone?" 

"Why would a nun know Survivor in the first place?  Can you answer?"  

"It's gone to voicemail..."  Gloria listened intently.  Abigail suck down in her chair and shifted her sister to lie on her chest, readjusting the yellow onsie and rubbing her back gently.  "Well- more good news." 

"Oh really?" 

"Andrew's been arrested."  

"You're joking." 

"Something shitty is bound to happen.  I can just feel it."  

"Keep that up and Andrea's first word is going to be a swear."  


	10. Reach for Me

Ellie got a text from Abigail the next Friday night.  It was the promised photos of the attic apartment.  The whitewashed walls and two skylights made the space tremendously bright.  There was a big queen sized bed, crib, changing table, a small kitchenette, a desk, and a couch, love seat, and coffee table.  Everything they could need for their own space.  

A second picture showed Andrea smiling in her sleep.  Even with the cleft in her lip she was an ethereally beautiful baby. The raw pink color most newborns kept for months already had faded for the most part and she practically glowed.  She would grow up too pretty for her own good.  Lily had come out of her coma and was scheduled to reunite with her daughters by the end of the month, a member of an oddball misfit family that received regular visits from a nun and a catholic minister.   

Andrew Wilder was on his way to prison for quite awhile now, having been found with a healthy amount of cocaine and stolen firearms in the back of his van.  That explained a lot.  He had admitted to following the Miller boys and walking around the house that one night, allegedly to talk to Alec again.     

Rodger and Gregory had compensated and paid for their efforts so they were in the green for a bit, able to take a breath and relax.  It was all tied up, with a messy bow, but tied up nonetheless.         

 

~

 

Alec and Tom were locked in a heated round of Mario Kart.  Fred was curled up with his mother on the couch.  

"Mumma?" 

"Yes Fred?" 

"Nothin'..." 

"What is it?" 

"Nuffin!" He squealed with giggles as his step father reached back blindly to tickle him while one handedly winning Rainbow Road.  

"What.  The heck."  Tom flopped on the floor, making Fred laugh harder.  

"Who's reading your bedtime story tonight Fred?"  Ellie asked, catching sight of the time.  

"Tom-Tom!" He decided.  

"I did it last night too."  Tom huffed.  

"Toooommmm." Fred repeated.  "You do voices."  

"Mum does too."  

"Not superhero voices."  

"The boy's right lad."  Alec teased.  

"Race yah,"  Tom got his brother upstairs.  Ellie didn't get a chance to move as Alec joined her on the couch, filling the place between the back of the sofa and her side.  She yawned and stretched, mumbling something about his twig figure before allowing herself to settle into his arms comfortably, his forehead against her temple.  She closed her eyes and stretched the moment out as long as she could.  Memorizing it.  Their legs laced.    

"You know I love you, right?"  She asked quietly.  

"I'd hope so by now."  He rumbled back, voice husky and drowsy.  

"Do you love me?"

"Yup,"  He chuckled, lifting his head to kiss her forehead.  "Do I give you reason to doubt?"

"Not yet.  Just nice to hear it."  He blew in her ear to make her squirm, rather than return the sentiment.  

"Luck." He mused.  "We got off lucky."  

"For once...or twice." She pinched his arm.  

"MUMMA.  AWEC."

"We've been summoned."  Ellie groaned, pressing the heals of her hands into her eyes.  

"You first."  Alec backhanded her rear as she got up.  

Fred was the only member of the house that refused to go to bed until getting a one-on-one individual goodnight from each member in the house.  It certainly made having guests interesting. Eventually all the lights were out and the kids were in their rooms.  

Before Ellie could change into something to sleep in, a hand slipped over her bare stomach in a gentle caress as an ardent kiss was pressed against her neck.  

"You're in a soppy mood."  

"I'm the luckiest bastard in the world to be married to you Ellie Miller-Hardy.  I can have my days."  

"If you insist." She giggled as he let her go and went to take a shower.  Families come about in all shapes and sizes and often times not the first time around.  The notion of remarrying used to be abhorrent to her.  Now the notion of not being married again made her tear up.  It was irrational happiness.  A shit ton of irrational happiness being committed to someone who was so fiercely devoted and damn near possessive.  Having a beautiful step daughter.  Having someone to bitch about ex-spouses with.  

 

~

 

Tom Miller answered the FaceTime call on the third ring.  Daisy Hardy looked far too awake for one am.  

"Morning." He grouched.  She snorted.

"Morning.  We need to talk Christmas presents."

"Uh oh."

"I figure I'll get Ellie's if you get Dad's."

"Good.  I had no idea what to get Mum."  

"Girls know best."

"So when are you coming down?"

"I'm off school in a week and I'll drive down."  

"You can drive now?"

"Aye.  Mum's lending me her car and renting one for her and Dave's holiday.  I figure we could get out some and get the shopping done."    

"Excellent.  You're becoming a semi-passable sister." 

"Jeez.  You dropped the 'step' bit.  What's the occasion?" 

 

~

 

Abigail sat in the downstairs kitchen, eating the dinner Rodger and Gregory had made just for her while they fawned over Andrea, giving her a sink bath.  She was opening her huge green eyes and grabbing their fingers and smiling all she could.  She was incredibly active.  Incredible period Abigail decided.  

"Father Leon invited me to breakfast.  Would you watch Andrea?"

"Absolutely love."

"He's not going to come with holy water is he?"

"He couldn't give two shits about you two." She giggled. "He's too busy trying to get me to accept Jesus and or quit smoking."  

"Good."

"Tell him you're a jew."  

"Well that would just be rude.  Then I'd have to not tip at breakfast for the rest of my life to prove it."  

"Now that's just racist.  I was thinking more along the lines of _where is the messiah_ but that works too."  

"Or offer to pray and then bust out the hebrew.  Throw him off good."

"You guys are so weird."  

 

~

 

"Fuck."  Ellie doubled over on his hand.  

"Shhhh," He laughed lightly into her ear, bending over her back, praying the shower noise drowned her out.  She was quick turning the game back around on him.  "Oh my God."  His release was just as powerful as hers and it was blinding.  "Shit Ellie."  

"Shhhh," She teased back, panting, as the glass doors on the shower fogged over entirely.  He bit her shoulder as his body finally stopped trembling and wasted no time capturing her mouth and sucking her bottom lip into his mouth.  She fumbled for the faucet, turning the water off.  Cold air hit their skin and that was all the motivation they needed to really get in to bed.  He fetched another quilt for the bed while she blew dry her hair.  

"We need to think about Christmas presents."  

"We can go shopping Monday while the boys are at school.  Beat some of the crowds and get it done before Daisy comes down?" 

"I like that.  Smart."

"I try."  

"I think I should get something special for Daisy and you something for the boys."

"We can do that." He agreed.  It was their first Christmas as a yours mine and ours kind of family and it was turning out to be the best they'd had.  Especially since last year.  Ellie was too scared that Jo was going to come around and Alec was miserable beyond all belief, Tess forcibly taking Daisy to her new step-father's family Christmas.  

"Are you happy?"  Alec turned off the lights and joined Ellie in bed.  

"I'm so happy it frightens me sometimes." She pressed her lips to his jaw.  

"Me too.  Is that what we're supposed to feel like all the time?"    

"I hope so-"

Before he could reach out and hold her the door slammed open hard enough to leave a dent in the wall.  Fred came barreling into their bed and buried himself under their pillows, mumbling about being cold.

"I can scare it out of you lad."

"I don't be-wieve you."  Fred groaned miserably before bubbling over into laughter as Alec drug him out from under the bedding and tossed him over his shoulder upside down, bringing him back to his bed.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff Fluff Fluff.   
> An oddball Christmas and another mystery perhaps?   
> Greatly appreciating feedback and comments.


	11. Snapshot

She rolled over on her side and sucked in a breath suddenly as the pain registered.

"Ow.  Shit."   His eyes opened instantly.  

"What is it?"

"I don't know." She sat up against the headboard and pulled the collar of her shirt down, confusion melting into shock melting into mirth.  

"Look at what you did, you idiot!"  He pushed himself up on an elbow and squinted.  

"Christ..."  Whatever love bite he had gifted her collarbone with had broken skin and turned into a rather violent and angry looking bruise.  It was practically a welt.   

"Don't-" She smacked his prodding fingers away.  He was trying hard not to look smug and she was doing her best not to smile.  Jesus.  Alec Hardy was an intense man in all aspects of his life.  This wasn't the first time he'd marked her, nor the last.  She was just as good as serving it back.  She was prone to leaving hickies and finger bruises.  He was a biter.  Long story short friends and acquaintances had pestered them both about easing up because they had noticed one of them walking with a limp or something.  Call it making up for lost time.  "You are such an arse.  Now I can't wear blouses for like a week..."  

"Yah you can," He bounced an eyebrow as he sunk back into the pillows with his arms folded behind his head, looking entirely to satisfied with himself.  She rolled her eyes before hitching a leg over his hips and straddling his stomach.  He tapped his fingers along the outsides of her thighs; bare, pale, and cold to the touch this morning.  She crossed her arms and waited for a response.  "Sorry love,"  He fell into a full out grin as he continued to caress her legs. She wrinkled her nose.    

"Don't _love_ me you bastard you so aren't sorry," She sighed, yawning and stretching before sinking into his chest contentedly, head tucked under his chin.  He cupped her bum and she smacked his side.  He ran his fingers up and down her back before slipping up the back of her shirt.  She shivered.  "I suppose it's better than when you refused to touch me..."  

"What- me?  You'd flinch off everything at first.  Certainly don't hear you complaining now anyway."

"Married people tend to not mind." He kissed the top of her head.  "This seriously better heal before Christmas Eve."  

"It's just us and the Bennets isn't us?  Or did the others change their mind?"  

"Lucy and Olly changed their minds.  They're coming.  I also invited the Latimers and Abigail."  

"Damn it all." He moaned.  

"I think you can manage one night Alec.  Just dinner.  It'll be happy."  

"Not if you leave me alone with Lucy again."  

"I promise.  Daisy will be there too.  Tom already promised to not barricade the children upstairs.  We're gonna be a happy fucking family for one night."

"-and one night only."

"I'm serious."

"Yes mum."

"You're gonna get hit Alec Hardy."  He smiled as he flipped them gently, mindful of her sore shoulder, setting them wrong ways on the bed.  

"Promise?" She snatched up a pillow and cuffed him gently on the side of the head.  He pinned her wrists after a brief wrestling match.  

"Worst husband ever."

"Oh really?" They both snorted and laughed lightly.  Alec kissed Ellie lightly, releasing her wrists in favor of lacing their fingers together.  He thumbed her wedding ring and hummed.  "We're not half bad at this so far."  

"Don't I know it.  We were supposed to be the marriage that failed out in twenty-four hours."

"Could have been,"  He acknowledged, pressing his lips to her cheek.  She squirmed as his beard tickled.  

"Cheers,"

"Cheers,"

"You're so different..."

"We're different."  He corrected her.  "It's not a bad thing."  

"No, no, no.  Absolutely not."  She agreed.  

The TV switched on downstairs and Ellie bit back a groan.  She promised the boys a pancake breakfast.  He looked equally displeased, not quite ready to leave the moment yet.  "I am such a terrible mother."  

"No you're not." 

"Yes I am."  

"Stop talking."  

"Make me."  Despite the flirting she wasn't prepared for the kiss which made it all the characteristic of them really.   

 

~

 

Lily Wilder was the only one awake in the attic apartment.  Andrea had fallen asleep on her breast after brunch and was still dreaming peacefully.  Her slightly bigger baby was curled up on the other side of the bed, wild hair completely obscuring her face.  Abigail and Andrea definitely had the same snore going for them.  

There was a gentle pang threatening to bring tears down her cheeks, layering over the intense fatigue and weakness still drenching her infuriating post birth body.  She'd never be able to provide for these girls like she should.  Not for awhile at least.  Not on her own.  They'd be making their own way.  Maybe that much was a gift.  Maybe they'd be smarter than her.  Maybe Rodger and Gregory's generosity would last long enough.  Certainly for Andrea... please God for Andrea.  They had already talked to a surgeon about fixing the cleft and uni classes for Abigail.  Art classes.  Just like Andrew.  

"She's drooled through your shirt again." Abigail laughed huskily, pushing up on an elbow and huffing hair out of her face.  

"I was too busy comparing your bald spots."  Lily teased back.  

"Mum's back."  Abigail sighed, moving to lay her cheek on her mother's free shoulder.  Lily bit her lip.  

"I'm sorry I was gone.  In more ways than one."  

"Me too.  But that's done."   


	12. Wrap It Up

"Hullo?" 

"Hi Ellie!  It's Daisy..." 

"Hi sweetheart- how are you?" 

"I just walked out of my last class of the term." 

"Congratulations then." Ellie glanced at her watch.  I was barely half ten.  Must have been a half day or something.  

"Thank you!  I just wanted to let you know that I'll be on the road in about an hour, so I'll be in town around one or two." 

"Excellent.  Your room is...all ready." 

"You're so lying," 

"Yes I am."  The girls laughed. The days had been slipping by them.  They'd somehow closed a case in the midst of getting the house ready for company while leaving bed as little as possible.  Exhaustion was building up but they were set to take the same two and a half weeks holiday as the schools allotted the kids.  

"While you fix that I thought I might pick up Tom and Fred and we'd go do something."  

"Fred's been talking about you nonstop.  He'll love that." 

"I texted Tom." 

"Looks like it's settled then.  Be home for dinner." 

"Yessum.  I'll see you in a bit."

"Drive safe love,"  

"Yessum," Ellie slipped her phone into her back pocket and instantly started the search for clean bedding for the spare room, simultaneously dragging the vacuum cleaner upstairs.

"Was that Daisy?" Alec called from their own room, swamped in a great deal of paperwork.  A local real estate mogul suspected his own secretaries of embezzlement and they had been hired to sniff it out.  Riveting.  

"Yes it was.  She's on her way.  She'll pick up the boys and be home in time for dinner."  

"That worked out too well."  He sounded suspicious.  She shrugged to herself.  

"Maybe.  I totally forgot about getting this room freshened up though..." She ripped the old bedding off and tossed it out into the hallway.  

"Need help."

"M'fine.  Finish that."  She got a distended groan.  They both knew he was better at the numbers so this was definitely a job for him.  He owed her anyway- after all the rudimentary school french she had to repeatedly recall to converse with a little immigrant maid on their last case.  

Ellie remade the bed and piled on downey pillows and a new duvet for her incoming stepdaughter.  She vacuumed out the floor and closet before wiping down the desk and bureau with a rag and pledge.  She tackled the upstairs bathroom she'd be sharing with Tom and Fred.  The rooms were livable again.  She dragged everything downstairs, putting away all the cleaning equipment and dumping the sheets in the laundry room.  

Alec was rubbing his eyes and pitching his glasses.  

"How's it going?" She was slightly scared to approach, as a good half of the master bedroom's floorspace was taken up with files and photocopies.  She came around the opposite side of the bed and knelt behind him, peaking over his shoulder.    

"I think I've got it narrowed down..." He held out a legal pad and a single packet of transactions.  

"How much is missing again?"

"More than we've ever made yearly combined."

"Jesus..." She squinted and read over his findings.  She suppressed a laugh.  

"How long have you been looking over this?"

"What?"  He rubbed his temples and looked at her oddly.  "Since seven this morning, why?"  

"I think you'll find the missing hundred thousand pounds here.  That lovely little Lydia dropped a zero when recording the commission they earned off the estate sale in Christchurch."  

"Tell me I'm not too far gone.  Tell me there's still use of me for another decade at least."  

"I'll make the call.  Chuck all this shit out.  I need you to make a run to the grocery store for me."  

"Gladly."  

"I should always make you do finances before company comes...mellows you out."  

"Don't even think about it...but speaking of, a certain someone gave you a Christmas bonus."  

"Oh really?"  She laughed, leaning into him further and moving her lips to the back of his neck.  He winced at his own delivery.  

"It wasn't me..." Jo.  Child support.  Damnit.  

"Shit.  Seriously?"

"If it makes you feel better, he didn't send any sort of message with it.  Just more money."

"He's not allowed to.  Bin the bastard's blood money."  She got up abruptly and went downstairs.  He sucked in a breath and followed.  She was in the kitchen, scratching out a grocery list for him.    

"We've been needing to talk about this Ellie."  

"I know."  He had found a shoebox in the back of the closet quite awhile ago.  Ever since the courts mandated child support eight months ago, Ellie had been cashing and stashing whatever Jo send them.  It only dawned on him recently that she had been telling him the child support was making ends meet at the end of the month while actually drawing on what little life insurance settlement she gained with the passing of her father in a private savings account shared with Lucy.  

Ellie stopped writing and started blushing.  She started and stopped speaking at least six times.  "I-"     

"I understand not wanting to use it.  I'm sure as hell not keen to buy the lads presents with his money.  That's no reason we can't open a savings fund for the both of them, split the money between them as long as it comes.  Give them access when they are of age and let them choose."

"You've thought this through."  She was still embarrassed.  And sad.  And marveling at him a little bit.  

"Tried too."  He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.  "It was so easy to forget him for a bit..."  Jesus.  When they met, she and Jo were downright happily married.   

"Yah."  Ellie swallowed before straightening.  "He knows we're married now.  Somehow.  Maybe the papers or something.  He used to address the checks to  _Ellie Miller_ and now he just leaves it blank." 

"Good."  He answered rather quickly and it made her smile, fidgeting with her ring.  

"Good." She echoed.  "Think you can stop at the bank on your way home?" 

"Sure,"  They smiled at the floor.  "C'mere..."  He held a hand out toward her.  She rounded the corner of the counter and wrapped her arms up around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.  "I love you."  He took her breath away with the strength of his embrace.  

"Still?"

"Yah still."  He hummed, pressing a kiss under her ear.  "I love you and the boys and even this bloody house."  It was theirs.  Theirs alone.  Well, they rented.  But it was clean.  Newish.  Tucked away.  

"I'm sorry for hiding that money.  That was immature." He grunted something that came across as a  _don't worry about it._ She smiled.  Perks of marrying Alec Hardy.  What was done was done.  Of course that could be a detriment but it worked out okay so far.  

"I'll take the holiday booze out of your pay."  He teased.  She smacked his shoulder and pulled away enough for a soft kiss.  He put his forehead on hers, forcing eye contact.  "Jo miller is nothing but a name now.  He's nothing.  Not a competition, not even a nuisance.  We provide no matter what." He brought his left hand up and thumbed at his own wedding ring.  For the boys.  For each other.  For better or worse.  He was absolutely right.  Ellie blinked back tears and touched his face.    

"I know.  Thank you." She might have protested that the didn't deserve this kind of forgiveness, devotion, or loyalty.  He'd probably argue that till sunset too.  He left for the store after pecking her cheek and squeezing her hips firmly, like he was giving her something to hold on to in his absence.    

If she had known he'd make such a fucking good husband way back when...Christ.      

 


	13. One Roof

Ellie smirked at how fast Alec was up and out to answer the knock on the door.  Daisy was waiting on the front stoop with her arms up and at the ready for her father.  

"Hi,"

"Hullo." Fred bumbled past with Daisy's purse over his shoulder.  Tom dragged her two humongous duffle bags.  The luggage was dumped in the living room and Daisy skipped into the kitchen to greet her stepmother.  

"Is that spaghetti and meatballs?" Ellie slammed pot lids down on everything she was cooking.  

"Not yet, hi there."  Daisy threw her arms around her neck and sighed happily.  

"I'm going to assume there are no lights or a tree because you have been eagerly awaiting my expertise..."

"Absolutely."  Ellie laughed, slightly embarrassed.  In truth she'd forgotten up until this morning.  

"Hope you didn't want to sleep late tomorrow."  Alec teased.  

"I'll fix it." Daisy agreed.  "You can't have a Christmas Eve dinner party without decor."

"Course not darling.   You three wash up." Ellie smiled as Fred clambered his way up to Daisy's hip.  

"He hasn't walked on his own all afternoon." Tom snorted, snatching up the toddler and tossing him over his shoulder.    

"Food in five." Alec grabbed plates and forks.

"Ten." Ellie amended.  "Boys, get Daisy's stuff to her room." Dinner was relatively quiet.  Tom and Daisy came down in their pajamas, thoroughly tuckered from their day it seemed.  Fred perched himself on Ellie's lap and stole meatballs from everyone.  They bickered about colored lights or white.  Insanely normal domestic family type stuff.  Fred passed out after bolting his share of ice-cream, cheek on the table.     

"What on Earth did you do to him?" Ellie snickered, poking his ribs experimentally.  He didn't budge.  

"What did he do to us?" Tom groaned from the kitchen, rubbing his temples as the brain freeze hit.  He had won the milk shake eating contest Daisy challenged him to and claimed his unfortunate prize.  Daisy was giggling and rinsing the blender.  "Evil,"  Tom muttered.  

"Here El, I got him."  Alec stood.  Ellie passed off Fred.  

"Just scrub his face or something.  He'l be grumpy if he wakes up in a bath."  

"Same."  Alec agreed.  Ellie smiled into her hand and ignored the copious eye rolls and fake gags emanating from the kitchen.  

Alec took Fred to the master bedroom after grabbing the child's favorite footie pajamas.  They were red with blue polka dots and a cape sewn into the neck.  Special order from Lucy's hand done sewing faze last Christmas.  Fred was dead weight in his left arm.  He didn't budge a bit as Alec wet a rag with warm water and passed it over his sticky mouth and hands.  He wiped his neck and underarms for good measure before laying him on the bed and trying to sort out pajamas.  Daisy came up and laid on the bed parallel to Fred.  She wordlessly took out her phone to catch a selfie with her Fred and his gaping snore face.  She caught her father smiling down at the both of them.  

"Haven't seen you do that in a while."  

"What?  Parent?"

"Smile."  

"Oh I'm always smiling."  He teased.  Daisy giggled and lifted one of Fred's arms for the sleeve.  

"God he's cute."

"He'll do.  You must have got him real wound up."  

"He was so happy to see me.  It was so nice."  

"We're all happy to see you darling." Alec risked kissing his daughter's forehead.  "Did you get enough to eat?"

"Oh my God I can't even move.  There's nothing Ellie can't do."  Alec smiled again, scooping up Fred.  He burrowed himself under his step-father chin, finding a warm spot.  

"Awww."  Daisy pouted.  

"You jealous?"

"Little bit."  She rolled over and yawned, planting herself on Ellie's side of the bed as he left to put Fred down.  Tom came upstairs and gave a boisterous goodnight from the threshold of his bedroom.  It was answered by a chorus from the rest of them.  By the time he returned to Daisy, Ellie had joined her and they looked about ready for bed.  Daisy was sharing a pillow with her.  They were giggling obnoxiously and taking a selfie and talking about twitter or instagram or something. He could care less about that bit.  

It astounded him how well Daisy and Ellie got on at first.  Then it was to be expected, two ladies who needed another lady desperately around the time the other came around.  They had only met once or twice before Alec visited Daisy and Tess for a weekend to tell her that he was getting married.  Both were visibly shell shocked for about twenty-four hours for completely opposite reasons.  Tess reeled over the fact that he was keen on Ellie, Daisy more-so that any woman let her dad touch her.  Daisy came to stay a week before the wedding.  She and Ellie went off on girly errands or something.  He couldn't remember.  They came back different people with seemingly endless jokes of which he found himself the victim of.    

Consequently, his relationship with his daughter had improved by marrying Ellie.  She had been a Daddy's girl before Sandbrook and he earned her back somehow.  Tess was doing her best but balancing this "new" semi-serious relationship with work was tricky.  She and Daisy fought viciously.  Suddenly he was and safe parent again.  Call it a small personal victory.  

"Shall I take the couch?" He sighed, crossing his arms.  

"Eventually.  I'll let you be for tonight."  

"How gracious."  

"Shut up."  The girls answered in unison before giggling again.  

"OI." Tom hollered.  

"Quiet you."  Alec hollered back.  A riotous and downright creepy laugh spiked and faded quickly from Fred's room, making all of them snort and cover their mouths to keep from making too much noise.  

"I hate us."  Daisy decided, slipping out of their room and into her own.  

Alec shut the door and flicked off the light before going to Ellie's dresser and stealing back a pair of grey sweats.  

"This almost hurts."

"Being happy?"  Ellie snorted, snuggling down into bed.  "I swear they screwed in your pacemaker upside down or something."  

"Ha-ha.  All the space heaters are in the kids' rooms.  Are you warm enough?"

"I'm good."  

"Good."  He got into bed.  Ellie rubbed his arm and hummed softly.  "So what do you mean it hurts?"

"It's too...right.  Feels like a bloody telly show sometimes."  

"It doesn't feel like your own life sometimes?"

"Aye,"  He ran a hand through his hair. "-and we got it together so fucking quickly.  I'm still reeling."  

"Good."  Ellie rolled over.  He smiled softly, moving to kiss the back of her neck.  

"Love you."

"Mmmm,"  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christmas Eve. Family. Friends. Alcohol. Disaster?


	14. Social Competency

By the morning of December 23rd the house was looking like a department store Christmas, ready for a magazine shoot.  Fred was literally about to explode.  Alec had a dull headache anticipating the party to come but Ellie Miller had a bit of Christmas magic about her.  She grabbed his fingers and made him answer the door with her.  The Bennets and the Latimers pulled up at the same time and made a ruckus on the porch meeting each other.  

Daisy, Chloe, Tom, and Jonas Bennet laid claim to a corner of the living room next to the tree, keeping a careful watch on Fred who played rather nicely with the Bennet's youngest child.  

Beth set her baby girl down with them as well.  After all the hugging was done- Helen, Beth, and Ellie took to getting the food set out and pouring wine.  Mark Latimer and John Bennet hit off with football when Mark spotted John's Newcastle United Scarf.  Alec exhaled a sigh of relief when the doorbell rang again.  Ollie shook his hand warmly.  Lucy handed him an excessively large bottle of champagne.  More yelling and greeting went on behind him as they joined the party.  Someone kicked some music on.  A car door slammed shut and Alec squinted into the night until the last guests came into view.  Lily Wilder was on a cane, an arm looped through her daughter's.  Abigail had a heavily covered baby carrier in the other.  

"Hey Mr. Hardy."  

"Come in, I'll take coats."  Ellie same sweeping out of nowhere to sweep Abigail up in a hug.  Lilly already had tears in her eyes as she thanked Ellie for her hospitality.  

"Nonsense, come in and meet everyone."  Ellie squeezed Alec's arm before taking Lilly into the party.  

"It's the first time she's been out since the hospital."

"How's the little one doing?"  Abigail shrugged off her coat and pulled the quilt off the baby carrier.  

"Beautifully, better than I could have hoped for."  Andrea blinked fuzzily before giving them both a sleepy baby grin.  Her cleft lip was scheduled for surgery in the New Year and it would almost be sad to see it go.  She was beautiful.  Abigail picked her up and followed Alec in.  Daisy and Chloe came up instantly to meet her and the baby.  The both of them cleaned up nice, their red and green party dresses highly complimentary.  Lilly was incandescent talking about her daughters.  

With everyone in the house, Ellie finally calmed.  Everyone was mingling and chatting.  Alec didn't talk much but his wife hung onto his waist like a limpet and kept him in the ten or twelve conversations going on.  He extracted himself only once to swat Daisy away from the stereo and swipe her iPod out for his.  The pop Christmas tunes were just too much.  He got lots of approval for the Sinatra and Michael Buble loaded playlist.  It was the only time of year he could get away with it without the Millers making fun of his music taste.  

Everyone drank too much wine and too many potluck snacks.  Whoever made the six dozen deviled eggs ought to be ashamed of themselves.  And the ham and the cinnamon rolls and the cookies.  And the stuffing.  And the casseroles.  Ellie tugged Alec into the kitchen with her to help make coffee and hot chocolate, the Keurig and the Mr. Coffee working double time.  Most of the kids were having a wicked snowball fight outside.  Daisy was keeping Abigail company, holding the far too bubbly little Andrea on her lap in wonder.  Chloe was sitting on the floor leaning on Daisy's legs with her little sister and the Bennet baby next to her.  Alec smiled and pressed his lips briefly against the crook of Ellie's neck before bringing them coffee.  The adults filtered through the kitchen after calling in the kids.  

The party lasted till about midnight.  The Bennets were the first to filter out.  Leftovers and half empty wine bottles got divided up easily.  Abigail exchanged numbers with her new friends before collecting her tipsy mother and putting her snoring baby sister back in her carrier.  Alec helped them back into the car.  He got a rather drunk embrace from his sister-in-law and Beth.  By one o'clock in the morning Daisy and Tom were upstairs trying to get Fred out of the bath and into pajamas.  The child was more the wound up.  

Alec slouched exhaustedly onto the couch while Ellie righted some of the tree ornaments that got knocked off by Ollie dancing the girls around.  

"You did it."  She teased him.  

"Did what?"

"Proved your social competency for the year."  

"Bloody hell."  He pinched the bridge of his nose under his glasses.  He seized her arm and tugged her down.  She sat in the space between his hip and the arm of the couch, legs draped over his.  

"Wasn't too terrible was it?"  

"You did a fantastic job.  I could barely manage who I was talking too..."  

"Did you have a good time though?"

"I did."  He admitted, kissing into her neck and running his hand over her legs.  

"I'm thrilled that Daisy and Abigail made friends." She hummed.    

"Same.  They're both artsy."  Ellie wriggled and laughed as he hit a ticklish spot in the crux of her neck and shoulder, nosing her Christmas scarf out of the way.  She pushed him off.  

"Happy Christmas Eve."  

"Oh God...it is isn't it?  I'm too old to be pulling these hours Miller."  

"Wuss."

Fred was jumping on his bed completely naked.  Tom was laying on the floor, begging Fred to put his underwear on at least.  Daisy had given up and retained the bathroom for her own uses.  Ellie snickered and booted her eldest to bed, thanking him for his efforts.

"Sweet party Mum."  He grinned genuinely.  Ellie had Fred dressed and pinned in five minutes.  Once Daisy vacated the bathroom Alec tapped on her door.  She smiled and willingly hugged him goodnight.  

"I thought you were gonna go ape-shit tonight."  

"Eloquent as ever."  

"But it's true.  That was so not your thing...but you were very well behaved." She teased.  

"Ellie says I proved my social competency."  

"So you'll be ready for me and Ellie's New Year's party."  

"What?"  

"Kidding.  I'm gonna spend it with Chloe and Abigail though.  Have a girl's night somewhere."  

"Good.  Now get to bed.  It's late."  

"If it's too late then you really are to old."  

"Someone- I don't know who could have ever done this- put bourbon in the last coffee pot."

"That puts a Scot to sleep?  Who knew..." He waved dismissively and shut out the light, leaving Daisy there snickering in the dark.    

"Really?  A lil bourbon in the coffee is all?" Ellie snickered as he closed the door to their bedroom behind him.  The lights were all off and she was changing into something to sleep in, face scrubbed and hair free.  He caught her around the waist and pushed her onto the bed playfully.  She nearly tripped as she only had one foot into her pajama bottoms.  She suppressed a yelp.  He kissed her thoroughly.  She yanked her pants on and pouted when he got up to change.      

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping to wrap this story up this season omg.


	15. Brutal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mature adult situations here- venture accordingly.

Following him into the bathroom directly after the teasing snog on the bed was both a terrible and wonderful idea.  He hadn't gotten in the shower yet.    

The bathroom counter was definitely gonna bruise her lower back after the hot and heavy coupling they were currently engaged in.  They were so wound up it didn't take much for her to see stars.  He slipped his fingers between her legs and made her fall apart again while sucking on the top of her left breast.  

"Bloody hell Alec..."  Her body rolled against his, feeling utterly luxurious as he continued kissing her.  He gently slipped his hands around her back, where her body had been pinned the hardest.  

"Sorry,"  

"Do _not_ apologize for that, Christ." She giggled, slipping her arms up around his neck and holding tight.  He chuckled, seizing her waist with one arm and taking a step backwards to start the shower with the other.  He didn't mind the goosebumps and passing of shampoo so much any more.  While she rinsed her hair he got an eyeful of the long red stains on her skin that were already turning purple.  

"You are gonna bruise up so badly."  He snickered, mouthing her neck and inhaling a bit of water in the process.  

"I think that makes us even though..."  She prodded at his ticklish ribs, a place typically deeply scratched and nearly bleeding after they went at it.  

"You're gonna be sitting on the edges of everything for awhile though..."  

"Stop sounding so proud.  It's creepy."  

"M'sorry baby."  

"Grossssss-shit."  He poked the bruising and she almost slipped out of the spray, her weak knees under his endearment certainly weren't helping.  He caught her and failed at swallowing a laugh.      

"Shush,"  

"Typical ruddy bloke you are."  She pinched his hip and stepped out of the shower, fumbling for a towel.  He spent a few minutes more under the hot water.  

It was a bit past two and Ellie's seemingly boundless energy would definitely be dwindling.  His head was begging him to sleep by now.  He found her lying on her stomach in bed, only halfway dressed at best.  He wet a flannel with icy cold water and nudged her jumper up, spreading it over the worst spots.  She hummed her thanks as he laid down and traced figure eights over the small of her back and spine.  "When did you get so smart then?" She yawned into the back of her hand.  

"M'not.  Just gotta keep you in one piece." He bounced an eyebrow.    

"Oh Ew," She couldn't muster a proper hit because of how close he was lying on an elbow.  "You are disgusting."  

"I'll stop."

"No you won't.  Every time I sit funny for the next week...I can just see the smarmy ass grin.  Yah.  That one you got right now."  

"You won it fair and square love."  He tossed the rag off on the floor when it lost its chill.  She snorted.

"Did I?"

"Aye,"  

"I'll never be nice to another Scotsman."  

"Nice? Quite the opposite Miller."  

"What are you nattering about then?"

"You rivaled me.  Two negatives make a positive."  

"No they don't."

"Sure they do."  Ellie blinked, tears blurring her vision.  Alec had changed so much from those first encounters.  From their first proper date even.  This new level of comfort was incredible.  She shifted to lie on his chest.  He kept rubbing her back.    

"You are so fucking weird.  My god."  

"I love you Ellie."  He snickered.  

"Shut up yah wanker."  

 

~

 

"Are you cooking?"

"Are you awake before noon?"

"Ha-ha." Tom groaned and jumped to sit on the counter.  Daisy finished stirring a bowl full of pancake mix and flicked water on the griddle to test the heat.  

"Do you want bacon too?"  

"BACON." Fred roared, wrapping himself around Daisy's knee.  

"Hey there bub.  Pancakes?"  

"PANCAKES."

"Someone's in a good mood."  Tom jumped down and put Fred in his place.  He put orange juice in a sip cup to avoid a mess.  

"Strawberries or Bananas?"  Tom flicked open the pantry.  

"Both.  And whip cream too."  

"Good idea."  

"I'm full of em."  Tom rolled his eyes.  

"I've got a Christmas Eve present for you Daisy."  

"This sounds terrible."

"Presents!" Fred kicked his legs.  Daisy flipped the pancakes, rounding out silver dollar sized ones for Fred and squared shaped ones for herself and Tom.  

"Ollie's gotta crush on you."  

"EW! Tom..."  

"You're not actually cousins by blood or anything."  

"He's old!"

"Only like 3 or 4 years older than you."

"Quit trying to wingman Ollie.  He's weird Tom."  

"Not really weird or anything."  

"He tried to dance with like every woman he wasn't related too last night.  If Abigail didn't have Andrea in her arms...you saw where he was going with that chat up line..."  

"He drank a lot of your spiked coffee."  

"Not my fault."  Daisy snorted, plating breakfast for the three of them and then frying up way too much bacon.   


	16. Merry Christmas Darlings

The Hardy-Miller Christmas was a fucking experience.  

Fred woke everybody up screaming at six in the morning and no amount of pleading from the entire family could settle him down.  The bloody sun wasn't even up yet.  Before Fred passed out in his room Ellie decided to make the best of it.  The fire and the tree alone were lit down in the living room.  Alec made coffee again and collapsed into an arm chair.  The sun began to rise as Fred disappeared in a whirl wind of paper.  Ellie was sitting cross legged next to the tree with a camcorder, catching the glee of their definitely spoiled children.  

Fred finally lost momentum around half past seven.  He climbed into Alec's lap to chatter about the stocking full of Dr. Who stuff.  They were the only two in the house who really watched it.  Daisy snatched the camera from Ellie to film herself modeling the Burberry coat she just finished crying over.  Lucy apparently had a nice connection that kept Ellie from over-draftinging the family's savings.  It was a season behind but it didn't seem to phase the girl.  Alec felt his heart beat a little harder when the girls embraced fiercely before Daisy gifted her step-mother a sterling claddagh ring.  Alec put cinnamon rolls in the oven with Tom, whom discreetly hugged him for the first time, thanking him for the fresh longboard and the set of oil paints and proper brushes.  He had been reaching when he noticed Tom's highest marks being in art class, but it evidently paid off.  He was still smiling a bit from Fred and Tom's gift to him- a new wallet, hand stamped and sewn to match the pattern on a refillable memo book.  Perfect for case work.  

They made it through a breakfast of cinnamon rolls before the kids passed out on the couches in the living room.  Alec got a great picture of Daisy snoring before Ellie tugged him back upstairs yawning her head off.  

"We should put a dead bolt on Fred's door." He suggested as they sat shell shocked on the bed.  

"On the outside." She agreed. "I got you something."  

"Knew it."  He huffed, reaching under his side of the bed for her gift as well.  They promptly started laughing as they had both managed to frame the same wedding photo for each other.  The very best wedding photo either had ever possessed.  They had done a small affair in the courthouse.  Ollie had graciously snapped a few photos of them on the Broadchurch beach afterwords.  They were both too overwhelmed on that day to remember much, or why they were just hugging each other in the blinding sunset, blatantly unashamed.  All three children were making the most wretched and disgusting faces possible off behind them when Alec kissed Ellie on the forehead.  

Alec had the thing blown up into an 8 by 10, perfect for the entryway.  Ellie made Alec's desk sized.  

"Awww.  Thank you.  You're lovely."  Ellie kissed his cheek.  

"Turn it over..."   

"You son of a bitch."  He had taped an envelope to the back.  

"It's for both of us.  Trust me."  She unfolded a hotel reservation.  Four January nights in London.  And a show.  And a signed promise from Lucy to watch the kids.  

"You are gonna be the death of me."  She huffed.  

"What?"  He snorted innocently, lying down and stretching.  "It's for the both of us."  

"You are senselessly spoiling me...and the children too."

"These would be the perks of marrying me."  He snarked, running his fingers up her back.  

"So the _for poorer_ and  _in sickness_ bits we promised are gonna be a breeze."  

"Undoubtably.  C'mere."  

"No," She coyly withdrew with the pictures, putting them on the dresser.  He caught her pant leg and yanked.  "SHIT." She yelped as her bruises collided with his bony hip.  He unapologetically situated her where he wanted her.  She attempted to volley a counter attack till he pinned her thighs with his own.  She hit him in the face with a pillow.  "I'm gonna tell the girls at work you hit me."

"You're the verbally abusive one Ellie Miller.  I'm gonna tell your boss that you...oh wait...that's right.  I'm your boss."  Ellie's poker face broke and she burst into giggles, unable to formulate a good comeback.  His manhandling Scotsmen routine always won.    

"Alec," She whined as he kissed her jaw and rubbed her back soothingly, the stinging finally subdued.    

"Does it hurt still?"  

"No, not any more yah big idiot."  She caught her breath when she met his eyes.  He just smiled at her.  "You used to drive me nuts looking at me like that."  He kissed her wedding ring.  

"I'll take _used to_ as a compliment."  

They squandered their window for napping with their back and forth.  Ellie figured she needed to build up these moments in her memory for when he really pissed her off at work or something.                 

 


	17. Hardy-Miller Inc.

"Let me get this straight- you started a case?  I thought this was supposed to be a romantic get-away.  You're in London for Christ's sake Eleanor."  

"We took so much time off for Christmas we were both stir crazy.  We were just tracking down a lost teenager.  Spoiled little trust fund baby, only took twelve hours.  We got paid for two though.  Really well."  Ellie suppressed a giggle at Daisy's exasperated noises in the background.  Lucy must be on speaker.  

"If you waste another day with this bloody PI nonsense I swear to god I'm never taking your children again."  

"We have the Bennets..." 

"Bullshit.  What are you doing now?"  

"We're about to go see a show and get dinner." Alec finally emerged from the bathroom, struggling with the top button of his dress shirt.  "I promise.  Three days off now.  We were very lazy today."  

"Pictures or it didn't happen."  Alec raised en eyebrow.    

"Not likely.  I'll talk to yah later Lu."  

"Bye El,"

"Am I gonna get my ear talked off when we get back?"

"Probably.  She's never liked my bosses."  

"We are an even 50/50 partnership I'll have her know-"

"Only when its convenient for you."  Ellie giggled.  He shrugged and put his hands in his pockets.  This suit was new and dark blue.  He filled it out quite a bit more nicely than he used to, a few extra pounds of their terrible eating habits successfully bringing him to a more human dimension.  

"Maybe so.  You look lovely."

"Shut up," She was still in a bathrobe, having only made it through hair and makeup when her sister called to chastise her.  "I don't know what to bloody wear."  

"What did you pack?"

"Good question.  Ask your daughter.  And Fred."  He poked through her luggage till he found that lacy, long sleeved, teal dress.  

 

~

 

Daisy had only passed through Lucy's house, changing clothes before making her way back to the Traders.  Abigail had rented a room for a long New Years weekend.  

She and Chloe were sprawled on the hotel bed, on a Skype call with Lilly.  Andrea's grandparents were making dinner in the background and making a great deal of noise.  Andrea's little shrieking laugh could be heard.  

"Just in time for the big reveal!"  Chloe pulled Daisy into view of the camera.  Lilly waved before moving her camera to the kitchen counter, where Andrea was propped up in her baby carrier.  She was one month old today and the bandage was off her lip.  The cleft was gone and the already ethereally beautiful child was relearning how to make that stunning smile.  Abigail almost burst into tears.  Andrea kicked and reached for them all through the screen.  Daisy and Chloe's waving and exclamations had the baby giggling.  The camera panned up for the grandparents to wave and blow kisses.  

"I'm dying- look at that face!"  

"How is this child prettier than me?"

"Baby girl, oh my god."  

"Alright, we're gonna sit down to dinner." Lilly turned the camera back to her.  

"Same," Abigail wiped her eyes. "I should be home around this time tomorrow." 

"Take your time love. Be careful."

"Bye mum,"

"I vote on getting a shit ton of junk food and take out and then coming back here."  Chloe flopped on her back, the Skype call barely turned off.    

"Definitely.  Who has beer money?" Daisy bounced up on her knees once she was sure the call was disconnected.  

"As I am the only one of legal drinking age here..." Abigail stretched.    

"Oh c'mon Abbi."

"For real man." 

"We're like one year under."  The others protested.  

"...I was just gonna say I'll take your money.  Can you guys split a six pack without getting stupid?"  Abigail snorted.    

"Chloe's the light weight."

"Only when there's shots."

"How the hell do ya'll party out here?" Abigail eyed them dubiously.  

"Nothing better to do."  Chloe giggled.  "We'll get food, you get booze.  Something dark." 

"I'm an expert ladies."  They all got their coats on and left to prep for a proper night in.  

 

~

 

"You only had two beers."  Alec couldn't help but laugh.  Ellie was having a hard time walking in a straight line.  When they turned onto one of the bridges over the Thames he tugged her under his arm.    

"It's these bloody heals, you've seen me tripping around in them before."  

"Mmmhmm."  

"Why did you wanna come this way- it's bloody freezing."  

"The London Eye is on this side of the river."  

"That massive Ferris Wheel thing?"  

"This is the only time you're going to see me insist on a tourist attraction."  He hummed.  "Also London at night isn't so hard on the eyes."  She smiled and shook her head.    

"Seeing Les Mis was just a little bit touristy."

"You liked it didn't you?"  He teased.  She nearly cried her face off.   

One a weekday night in January there was barely a line for the wheel.  They somehow got a cab without teenagers and a handful of other adults.  The view was utterly spectacular and Ellie thought she might cry again when she realized how tightly Alec was holding her against him.  They took a cab back to the hotel and talked about going to a few museums the next day.  Alec seemed to know a bit more about art and history than he let on.  

In a few days they'd probably be back sifting through a barrage of emails and the grunt work necessitated by the private investigation sector.  He kissed her in the elevator and she thought she might be content to live this way the rest of her life.        

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fin. 
> 
>  
> 
> I'm thinking of starting another mystery/some more case work for the Private Detectives Club. Any ideas?
> 
> Cheers! xoxo


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